Hedge-trimming machine



110,814,483. PATBNTED MAR. 6, 1906-.

R. SMITHBRS.

HEDGB TRIMMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APB.. 3, I905.

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` R. SMITHERS.

HEDGE TRIMMING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED APB.. 3, 1905..

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R. SMITHERS.

HEDGE TRIMMING MACHINE. APPLIoATIoN FILED APB. s. 1905.

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/NVE/VTU? RICHARD SM: THERS 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

A 7TOHN E YS No.. 814,483l PATENTED MAR. 6, .1906. R SMITHERS HEDGETRIMMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APB.. 3, 1906.

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NITED STATES Pnl-inni? orrion. l

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD SMITHERS, a

I citizen of the United States, residing at Nortonville, in the countyof Jefferson and State of Kansas, have invented a new and ImprovedHedge-Trimming Machine, of which 'the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in l hedge-trimming machines withvertical and horizontal sickles and the objects of my improvements areto provide improved mechanism, first, to cut the top and side of hedgeat the same time; second, for the proper adjustments of the sickles tocut leither the top or the side separate third, to raise or lower thehorizontal sickle so that it can be adjusted to cut any height hedgewhile in motion; fourth, to facilitate vertical adjustment or the-removal of the horizontal sickle; fifth, for adjusting the oneend ofthe platform as may be required on inclined or uneven surfaces.

My invention is shown in the accompanyj ing drawings, in which` Figure-1is a proved machine. of the same.

perspective view of my im- Fig. 2 is a vertical section Fig. 3 is aperspective view of the upper sickle and its guides or bearingsdetached. Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view of the machine. Fig. 5 is asectional view illustrating the construction and arrangement of thehorizontal sickle and its actuating means. Fig. 6 is a verticaltransverse section of the machine. Fig. 7 is a vertical sectionillustrating the arrangement of the sprocket mechanism for actuating thesickle-bars. Fig. 8 is a detail section illustrating the application ofthe sliding clutch. Fig. 9 is a view illustrating the arrangement of theeccentric in connection with .the shank of the vertical sickle-bar, line9 9 of Fig. 2.

Referring in the first instance to Fig. l, A indicates a verticalsickle-bar, and A a horizontal sickle-bar, the latter being arranged inrear of the former, so that two are adapted to cut the side and top of ahedge simultaneously. As illustrated in Fig. 5, the sicklebars areconstructed in a well-known manner, being composed of triangular cuttersattached to the reciprocating bar vand Working in the slots ofguide-fingers, between which the twigs and branches of the hedge arereceived as' the machine advances. sickle bars and means for operatingthem and other mechanism to be hereinafter described are supported andcarried by a hori- Specication of Letters Patent.

Application filed lApril 3, 1905. Serial No. 253,727.

the same being .taken on Patented March 6,1906.

which is supported and travels upon three wheelsto wit, C C C2. (SeeFig. 4.) The wheels C C are mounted upon axles arranged at one side orend of the 6o zontal platform B,

platform B, at opposite corners thereof, while the wheel C2 is arrangedat the opposite truncated end of the platform and mounted upon acrank-axle D, having its bearings in keepers d, attached to the underside of the platform. A sprocket-wheel E is keyed on this crankshaft D,and a chain F passes therefrom (see Figs. 1 and 2) around acorresponding sprocket E', which is mounted upon a stubshaft D, having acrank-handle d and sup- 7o ported and journaled in a shortverticalstandard B. It is obvious that by rotating the crank d the crank-shaft Dmay be rotated, and thus adjusted with its crank at any desiredinclination, whereby the adj acent end of the platform B will beadjusted higher or lower, as conditions may require that is to say, toenable the machine to be worked on an inclined or uneven surface. Forlocking the upper shaft D, so as to hold 8o the crank-shaft D at anydesired inclination,

a ratchet G (see Fig. l) is keyed on the shaft D and engaged by apivot-pawl The respective sickle-bars A and yA are reciprocated by meansof eccentrics-that is to say, the vertical sickle-bar A is connected(see Figs. 1, 2, 9) with an eccentric I, which is keyed upon ahorizontal shaft J and arranged in a housing or hollow vertical standardB2, fixed at one end of the platform B. The shaft J derives rotationfrom the aXle K of the running-wheel C through the medium of a chain Land sprocketwheels mounted o'n the respective shafts. The horizontalsickle-bar A is similarly connected with an eccentric M, (see Fig. 2,)which, together with the shank ofthe sickle-bar, is arranged in ahorizontal frame N, forming an attachment of two parallel verticalstandards B3. The eccentric Mis keyed upon a hollow shaft O,which isheld rotatably in the frame N and roc a cross-bar N, forming anattachment of and connection between pendent arms l 2. (See Figs. 2 and3.) A polygonal shaft O passes through the hollow shaft O and through asleeve O2, which is attached to the parallel 105 standards B3. Abevel-pinion P is attached to the lower end of the polygonal shaft O andmeshes with a large driving-gear Q, which is keyed on a horizontal shaftR and having its bearings in the standards B3 and operatively 1 1oconnected with the shaft K of running-wheel C (see Figs. 4 and 7)through the medium be brought into action,

of chain-and-sprocket mechanism L. The sprocket-wheels L2, mounted onthe axles K K, are provided with half-clutches (see Fig. 8) adapted toengage corresponding halfclutches on the hubs of the wheels C C. Theslidable clutches are shifted by levers S S arranged as indicated inFigs. 2 and 4. These levers are pivoted to the under side of theplatform B and connected by links T with vertical levers U, that profectabove the platform B and are pivoted to standards, as shown in Figs. 1and 2.

It will be understood that the machine may be hauled by a team or drivenby a motor, as may be preferred or convenient. As the machine advancesalongside a hedge the vertical sickle-bar will cut the latter on theside and the horizontal sickle-bar A will cut the top, so that the hedgewill be, so to speak, squared in the required manner. It is apparentthat by means of the hand-levers U either or both of the clutches may beshifted so that either or both of the sickle-bars may Thus the machineis ,adapted for cutting the side of a hedge without cutting the top orfor cutting the top without cutting the side. Further, the horizontalsickle-bar, together with its supporting-frame N, may be entirelydetached from the vertical standards B3 or it may be adjusted higher orlower thereon, according to the height of the hedge. As shown in Figs. 1and 2, the pendent portions N2 of the frame slide between verticalguide-strips B4, which are attached to the outer sides of standards B3.

It will be seen that the transverse bar N', which passes through andconnects the pendent arms N2 of the sickle-frame, is adapted to beadjusted in slots b, formed in the upper ends of the standards B3. Thesaid slots extend out through the ends of the standards, so that theentire frame N, together with the sickle A, may be removed at will. Itis shown detached in Fig. 3. The hollow and polygonal shafts O and Oprovide for vertical adjustment of the sickle-bar frame N, or, in otherwords, since the hollow shaft O is slidable on the polygonal shaft O thesicklebar A will be operated whatever be its vertical adjustment orheight above the platform B.

For convenience of adjustment-that is, for raising and lowering thehorizontal sicklebar and its frame N-I utilize a vertical shaft W, (seeFigs. 1 and 6,) the upper end of the same being connected with thehollow shaft O and the frame N and the fewer end connected with ahand-lever Y, pivoted at y in one of the vertical standards B3. (SeeFig. 1.) By adjusting the lever Y up or down it is obvious that acorresponding adjustment of the sickle-bar A and its frame N will beeffected also. The portion of the standard B3 to which the free end ofthe lever Y is adjacent is provided (see Fig. 1) with projections orteeth with which the lever may be engaged for holding it in any desiredvertical adjustment.

What I claim is- 1. In a hedge-trimmer, the combination with a platformand running-wheels, two of which are located in front and rearrespectively, of a vertical sickle-bar and a horizontal sickle-bar, andmeans for reciprocating the same, such means comprising in part gearingconnected with the axles of the two running-wheels specified, andincluding shiftable clutches, and lever mechanisms connected with therespective clutches of the two shafts, whereby either or both of theclutches may be thrown into or out of action, so that the two sickle-bars maybe reciprocated or thrown out of action simultaneously orseparately as conditions require.

2. In a hedge-trimmer, the combination with a horizontal platform,vertical standards fixed on said platform, and runningwheels supportingthe latter, of a horizontal sickle-bar and means o eratively connectingit with one of the ax es of the runningwheels, the frame carrying suchsickle-bar mounted adjustably on the platform-standards, and means foradjusting it verticallyI the same comprising a vertical shaft and apivoted lever connected with the lower end of such shaft, substantiallyas described.

3. In a hedge-trimmer, the combination with a platform, andrunning-wheels supporting the same, of a horizontal sickle-bar, aguide-frame in which the same is held and reciprocated, a hollowvertical shaft with which the sickle-bar is operatively connected, apolygonal shaft extending through such hollow shaft, and meansoperatively connecting the polygonal shaft with one of the axles of therunning-wheels, the guide-frame of the sickle-bar being verticallyadjustable, substantially as described.

RioHARD sMTHERs.

Witnesses:

BRUCE RioKETTs, WILLIAM MONAMARA,

IOO

